King's Gambit
by AshGopal
Summary: Violet Potter had nothing left to live for. After the war, she didn't even know her own identity anymore. And so, Death gave her new one. Fem!Harry/TMR
1. Chapter 1

**Hello hello hello! And so I started a new story. I know. I'm a heathen. But I couldn't resist TT_TT The plot bunny power is too strong... But yeah! I hope you all enjoy! XD**

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Violet Potter was tired.

So, so tired.

The crackling sound of the remainder of houses burning all around her broke through the tentative silence. Slowly, there were low murmurs of both joy and grief as the spectators all around them got over their shock and began to react to the outcome.

Violet Potter had triumphed against the Dark Lord Voldemort.

But it had come at a price.

For four long years, both she and Voldemort had hunted each other down, a vicious game of chase that resulted in death all around them. They had been through more duels than she could remember and had almost always come to a stalemate before their comrades had whisked them off by Apparition to tend to their wounds before they succumbed to them.

And when Violet Potter lay on that bed, nearly bleeding to death while her friends rushed all around her, panicked and trying to save her, she slipped into a strange meditative state.

And in that death-like trance, she would always meet _him_.

Voldemort.

But not actually _him_.

It was his true self.

She saw the broken, handsome form of a young man that could have been _great_. Who was corrupted from a young age and forced to endure an existence of loneliness. Who threw himself into the Dark Arts to prove to someone, _anyone_ , that he mattered as well. That his blood status didn't define who he was. That his destitute background didn't determine who he was going to be.

She watched as his desperate ambition became his undoing. With each book on Black Magic he read, his own magic would become that much darker and thicker, more vile. With each dark spell he practiced, without the help of Family Magic to protect him, the more his thoughts grew twisted and corrupt. And with each Horcrux he made, the more his sanity frayed into nothingness.

She saw _everything_.

And just like her, he saw everything as well.

Just as she saw his true form, he saw hers. The trembling, emaciated form of a little girl, painted in bruises and donning tattered clothing much too large for her, wishing, _praying_ that there was someone out there who loved her.

Just as she viewed his life, he viewed hers.

He saw all that made her _her_ , all of the horrors and hardships that she had gone through, all of the betrayals from all around her, saw her withstanding the scorn of both the public and her close friends. He saw it all, and watched as she rose above it. Witnessed her blood, sweat and tears and she worked to protect all that he wanted to destroy.

Violet didn't know when it occurred, whether it had happened over time or had been there from the very beginning, but both of them realized that their souls were intertwined.

Not in a dark, magical way, no. But fatefully.

They were almost two halves of one entity, light where the other was dark, loving while the other hated. Strength, weakness, sanity, madness, power, subjugation, courage, fear, morality, sin, _life and death_ , they were both two sides of the same coin.

Violet knew him better than she even knew herself.

And she _hated_ it.

Hated what a complete _waste_ it all was.

Hated that what he _could have been_ hadn't come to be, all because fate dealt him a bad hand.

Hated that he had been a hollow, almost soulless shade of his magnificent former self.

Hated that he had been pushed to such an extent that he had to make himself such in his mad quest for power.

Hated that he had ruined so many lives, including hers, in that search.

Hated that even though she understood him, _pitied_ him, she was forced to put him down like a mad dog.

 _Because that was what he was in the end,_ she thought, as she stared at his crumpled body in front of her kneeling form. _A mad dog that needed to be put down for the sake of not only others, but itself_.

As the people around her gained volume, either exclaiming their joy for the war's end or wailing their grief at seeing a lifeless loved one, Violet felt nothing.

She was empty. Void.

Slowly, as she stared down at the man that had once been the great Lord Voldemort, and before that had been Tom Marvolo Riddle, a single tear slid down her cheek.

 _Why?_

 _What was it all for?_

 _Was it… really worth it_?

She felt a sudden, soothing chill surround her, and without even looking up, knew who it was.

There, in all his glory that no one but only she could see, was Death.

His form was ever shifting, his flowing robes around him possessing the same dark silvery fluidity that her own invisibility cloak had. Which, once one thought about it, was obvious, because it had come from him in the first place.

His face was covered by a long hood, and which parts weren't covered were shrouded in shadow that made it impossible for her to distinguish any actual features he possessed. The only thing she did see, however, was his eyes. They were a silver so bright that they appeared white from within the shadows, surrounding his sharp, observing pupils. Eyes that were so striking that one couldn't help but stop and stare as he peered into their very soul.

The saying that the eyes were the window to the soul came from him, after all. It was how he knew whether it was a person's time or not, by looking into their eyes to see into their very soul.

But Violet Potter had seen him so many times that she was no longer afraid of him. In fact, she trusted him, even more than she trusted her own friends and comrades.

Ron and Hermione were precious to her, but they didn't know the _real_ her. Sure, she's told them all about her, about her childhood and all of her experiences, but, there was always a… _dissonance_. No matter how close they were, no matter how willing to shed blood for each other and no matter how much they loved each other, they still put her, however small, on a pedestal.

She was Violet Potter, the Girl Who Lived. She survived everything that old kook Dumbledore had thrown at her and had survived every curveball that Fate sent her way. She was The Chosen One, the person who would lead them to victory, so strong that she killed a Basilisk at the tender age of 12, cast a Patronus at 13, emerged victor of the Triwizard Tournament at 14 and led an entire rebellion at 15.

No matter how much Violet wished for her friends to accept her as her, they just… _couldn't_. They were simply unable to. She had done such staggering feats one after the other that they simply couldn't treat her as one of them even if they tried.

Violet didn't resent them for it. She knew it was beyond their control. Hell, if it had been any other person, she herself would be just as star struck no matter how much she tried to convince herself otherwise.

But Death. He was her one constant. Even in the beginning stages of the war, where the public had turned on her once again for the large-scale destruction that her battles with Voldemort would leave in their wake, Death never wavered. He remained at her side, just as he had at Voldemort's.

Of course, Violet knew that Voldemort hadn't found Death's presence nearly as comforting as she had. He had been absolutely petrified of the entity. He felt as if it was a reminder of his own mortality. Even though he had made a number of Horcruxes and had the knowledge and magical power of a god, Death still hovered around him.

Violet sighed, closing her eyes. Death never let anyone escape. It was a fact of life that one couldn't escape for long. Of course, one could try to run, but eventually, Death _always_ found them. Even with pseudo-immortality, like Horcruxes or the Elixir of Life, Death would inevitably come for them in the end.

"Tell me, Death. You see everything, do you not?"

Her breathing shallowed as she opened her sharp green eyes to look at the former Dark Lord's body. His pale, serpentine face still displayed the terror he felt as he sensed death descend upon him.

" _Yes, Mistress_."

Death had taken to calling her 'Mistress' ever since she had disarmed Voldemort in one of their earlier duels. When one day, after a long, bloody day filled with the demise of a good fraction of the original Order of the Phoenix, she asked him why, and he replied simply with, _"You are my Mistress, the only one who can seek my council. Earned by collecting my tokens, you have proven to be my champion."_

He never elaborated. When she asked him again, he replied the same, never one word changing from his usual response.

"Then tell me. _Show_ me. What could he have been, had he not have fallen into corruption? Would he have been mediocre, like he accused us all of being? Or," Violet looked up into the dark, moonless sky, barely illuminated by the light of a few stars, "Like I suspect, would he have been _Great_? A god among men…"

Death's silence was all the answer she needed.

She laughed, a quiet, broken sound. "Would we have met?" She met his glowing white eyes, her own glistening with emotion. "What did Fate have in store for us? What could we have been, had they not insisted on ending our connection before it even began?"

Death stared blankly at her, offering no answer.

Violet's lithe, gaunt form trembled slightly. "Tell me. Would we have been strangers? Friends? Could he have been my rival? My teacher? My mentor? My lover? _Tell me_!"

She trembled in emotion for a moment before all the energy left her and she slumped bonelessly into the muddy ground, scattered with gouges and stained with blood.

"I… I'm just so tired, Death… _so tired_. What is the point of all of this? This victory? No, I can't call it that. This is no victory. No victory should feel this hollow." She emptily intoned.

"No… this is a mercy killing. This is me putting him out of his misery, the shell of a man that had once had the potential to be magnificent."

Another one of those broken laughs escaped her, lips pulled into a cruel, sardonic smile.

"But _they_ don't understand that, do they? No, to them, this is the ultimate victory. The good triumphing over evil. In a few decades, he will simply be written off as just a madman who took pleasure in killing others, just as Grindewald was."

She sighed. "And me? What is waiting for me? Another empty existence of being gazed upon in awe, standing miles above anybody else? Being praised by the masses one moment and detested by them the next? Being expected to solve every problem for them simply because they were too lazy or cowardly to do it themselves? They sent a _16-year-old_ girl to fight their battle, Death. A _child_. I have made my peace with that fact, but what if they do it to somebody else? Nobody deserves such a fate."

Slowly she reached up and gently gripped the edge of his silvery cloak.

"Take me with you, Death. Please. I have nothing here. Nothing to live for. My friends will move on. Nobody will really miss me. I'll be heralded as a martyr. Just… please. I'm tired, Death. _So tired_. I want warmth. I want love. I want a family. I wanted… to save him. I… have nothing here. Take me with you. I'll be able to find happiness there."

Death gazed at the broken form of Violet Potter, his cloak ever-shifting, hiding his true form. His piercing white eyes regarded her as he processed her request.

" _My Mistress… I cannot take you_."

Violet Potter shut her eyes in pain.

" _But… I can offer you this._ "

She froze, not daring herself to hope.

" _Your wishes for warmth, love, family… and to redeem the soul of Tom Marvolo Riddle… I can offer that to you_."

Violet was still, not even trusting herself to breathe.

" _There is an opportunity of another life that I can offer you, but be warned, your identity as Violet Lillianna Potter will be lost if you so choose to take it. Although you will carry reminders of this life, you will be bound to that Identity. Depending on your choices, you will see through another's eyes as the Violet Lillianna Potter which Could Have Been grows and lives. She will have everything you have not had. A family, affection, stability. And you… you will watch on in envy as she receives all that you ever desired without lifting a finger. You will never again be her, nor she you. What say you, Mistress? Are you willing to live, for no one but yourself?_ "

Violet gazed at the shadowy form of Death, unable to think in light of the magnitude of what had been offered to her. Just one thought came out.

"But… why? Why me?"

It was impossible tell for sure, but the shadows shifted around his face for a split second and she was able to glimpse what looked like a sad, pitying smile.

" _You are my Mistress, my champion, my favorite human, and yet you offer yourself to me. I have watched you from whence you were but a babe, from the moment you survived the encounter with Tom Marvolo Riddle. It was not your time, and yet, I watched. You overcame all your obstacles with grace and accepted your fate without a word of complaint. Only now, when you ask me to take you with me, do you question your lot in life. I have chosen my Mistress well, and so I deem to offer her what she wants_."

Piercing white eyes met teary green. " _And so I ask of you again, Mistress, what say you? Will you leave behind your identity of Violet Lillianna Potter and don the skin of a new identity, with nothing more than your memories and knowledge? Or will you continue your existence in this body until it is your time, where I welcome you into my domain? What say you?"_

Violet looked at him, really looked, the same as she had done the first time he had appeared before her.

"Will you accompany me, Death, my eternal, everlasting friend?"

" _I will, my Mistress_."

Violet Potter slowly stood. She turned and looked at the people behind her, all scrambling to salvage what could be salvaged. Everybody, witches and wizards alike were in their own little worlds, savoring the defeat of Voldemort with their friends and families. Not once did a person glance at her.

And she was absolutely fine with that, because looking at all these people who had what she _didn't_ , she had her answer.

She turned to Death, who, ever patiently, waited by her side. Her lips turned up into the tiniest of smiles, almost blindingly bright, and she raised her head and squared her shoulders.

"Yes, Death. I'm ready. Take me to my next great adventure. I'll live my life how I was supposed to have lived it."

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 **Aaaaannnndddd that's a wrap! Thank you all for reading! I'll probably update pretty soon because the Plot Bunny power is too strong...**

 **But yeah! I hope you all have an absolutely amazingly fantabulous day! XD Until next time!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Aaaaannnd here you go! Just as I promised, the 2** **nd** **chapter! I hope you all enjoy!**

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Her eyes flew open and she took great heaving breaths. Her body felt impossibly weak and cold and she couldn't move a muscle even if she tried.

All around her there were voices exclaiming in relief and more severe tones. She couldn't make any of them out, all of them blurred together. It felt as though she was underwater, and while she could make out bits and pieces of sentences, it was never coherent enough for her to comprehend fully.

Her hearing was a tiny bit better than her eyesight though, but not by much. She could make out vague, large looming figures towering over her, moving about all around her. A large pair of hands snaked towards her and lifted her up and she allowed it without complaint. She was still bemused by the situation that she had found herself in.

Slowly, gently, the giant's hands gripped her weak form and cradled it towards its chest. She let out a soft sigh of relief as she finally got the warmth she so desired. Instinctively, she cuddled towards the person. She didn't know why, but something about the person screamed _safety_. Perhaps it was how the person's magic wrapped protectively around her form. It twirled and writhed, comfortingly brushing against her at steady intervals, as if to reassure her that he was still there watching over her.

Dully, her thoughts wandered. Was this what she had missed out on in her previous life? This wonderful feeling of safety, security, _home_? As far as she could recollect, she had never felt this… _safe_ before.

Gently, a large hand brushed across her head, tangling in her corn silk-fine baby hair. Blearily, she blinked her eyes open and tried to focus them.

It was still a little blurry around the edges, but she could vaguely make out the form of an extremely handsome, familiar-looking man. He looked down at her in affection as he continued to stroke her head.

The words were slurred, at least to her ears, but she could vaguely make out a few words from a tired, female voice.

"Is she alright, Arcturus? How is she?"

The man hummed noncommittally, still admiring the tiny form in his arms. His hands never stopped gently petting his new daughter.

"She's absolutely beautiful, Melania." His voice was barely more than a deep rumble.

A tired chuckle. "Well, of course she is. She's your daughter, after all."

Arcturus smiled as well. "Yes, it seems so. She will be my daughter as much as Lucretia is yours."

"Oh?" A curious tone. "You can already tell?"

Arcturus nodded. "Her magic reacted to mine just like you described Lucretia's reacting to yours. Already I can feel it reaching out to mine. Yes Melania, this one is mine."

Another chuckle. "You and your possessiveness. Well, I don't care if she's your daughter or not, she's mine too, so hand her over to me."

Arcturus walked over to her bed-ridden side, never taking his eyes off his yawning daughter once. He was visibly reluctant to let her go. The woman had her arms stretched out, in position to receive her daughter, but after the wait continued and her hands remained empty, she huffed and narrowed her eyes at him.

"Oh, don't make a scene, Arcturus! Give her to me, I want to hold her!"

The barest hints of a pout on his face, he unwillingly handed the tiny form of his new daughter over to his wife.

Gorgeous strawberry blonde curls filled the little infant's vision. When her eyes adjusted a little bit better, she was able to glimpse the form of a beautiful, worn-out woman drenched in sweat smiling radiantly at her.

"You're right, Arcturus. She is beautiful. And to think, we almost lost her…"

The baby girl froze, processing the words, wondering if she heard them correctly.

 _Lost her_? Did that mean what she thought it meant? Was it possible that she almost died-?

Then, she felt the barest hints of a familiar chill brush up against her senses.

Without turning to look, she relaxed. Death was in the vicinity. Her old friend was still there, and his presence was enough to clear the confusion she had about her situation.

Suddenly, she recalled her last conversation with Death.

His offer.

She had accepted it.

She had accepted his offer for a new life with the opportunity to achieve everything she had wanted, but simply wasn't able to have in her previous life.

As all aspects of death fell under his domain, he must have transferred her soul into an infant who was born without one. A stillborn.

Then, unbidden, tears filled her eyes as she processed this revelation.

She was reborn.

She wasn't Violet Potter anymore.

That man…

This woman…

They… they were her _parents_.

The warmth that she had felt…

The affection with which the pair touched her with…

 _She had a family_.

Slowly, softly, she broke into quiet sobs. Immediately, the man's magic reacted and wrapped around her as the woman cuddled her into her chest, rocking back and forth, murmuring soothing words to calm her down.

"Shhhh, shhhh, darling. It's alright. Mummy's here now. It's alright."

She softly hummed, and the baby's consciousness slowly faded into nothingness, soothed by the sound of her new mother's voice and her new father's magic.

* * *

Titania Cassiopeia Black was a strange child.

None knew better than Arcturus Black.

Physically, she was the embodiment of a classic Black. She sported black silky straight hair, piercing grey eyes and had a delicate, noble facial structure. All features that she inherited from him, obviously. She barely inherited anything from Melania, neither through her looks nor her magic.

But that wasn't unusual. Black blood is known to run strong. Lucretia is an anomaly, in that way, taking so much after her mother.

No, physically, there was nothing abnormal about his second daughter.

Psychologically, it was a different story.

Though Titania did well to hide it, it was clear that she was much smarter than she let on. It would probably have been much harder to spot if she was their firstborn instead, but with Lucretia's development as a measuring stick, it was clear that Titania was much different.

For one, Lucretia was an extremely giggly, social baby. Although, it didn't detract from the fact that she fussed almost incessantly. She could barely bear to leave Melania's presence and demanded attention from everyone around her. All in all, she was a very normal, if high maintenance baby, according to St. Mungo's.

Now Titania, on the other hand… couldn't be more different. From the moment she could sit up, she observed the world with sharp, observant eyes. It seemed that nothing escaped her scrutiny.

She rarely cried, and if she did, it wasn't her mother that could calm her down. No, it was his magic. Anytime she was agitated, although those instances were rare enough, a single brush of his magic was enough to settle her.

She also seemed to understand a great deal of what was being said as well, if how she reacted to the Macmillan's visit was any indication.

Melania's parents had never liked him much. In contrast to the Blacks, who were mostly Dark, with a generous smattering of darker Grey magic users, the Macmillans were a Light family, with maybe the faintest touches of Grey here and there. So, obviously, they weren't exactly thrilled to hear about the courtship between him and their only daughter.

Well, Miranda Macmillan was reasonable enough. She only displayed the slightest hints of distaste towards him. It was Cameron Macmillan who had a bone to pick with him. His resentment and loathing of Arcturus knew no bounds. It was understandable, the Black Family Head supposed. He did take his precious daughter away from him.

Well, it may have also been because of the fact that her father had walked in on them snogging with Melania's hands under his shirt in the Macmillan Manor's library. He was barred from ever using the Macmillan archives again.

But semantics. Cameron hated him even before that incident. That only solidified and exponentiated his animosity towards him.

When the Macmillans arrived at Grimmauld Place, they immediately greeted Melania and Lucretia with wide smiles. The small blonde toddler was grinning madly and skittering from side to side, trying to catch her grandparents' attention while Melania happily embraced her parents.

Arcturus stood off to the side, clutching Titania. The duo awkwardly watched the reunion in silence as they waited for their guests to notice them.

And notice them they did. Before long, Miranda's eyes wandered over to the black-haired duo as Cameron happily swung Lucretia around, the strawberry blonde toddler giggling madly.

The woman made her way over to them, eyeing the infant in Arcturus' arms, ignoring the man in question completely. She cooed and held her arms out expectantly.

Arcturus mentally sighed and prepared to hand Titania over, but a tightening on his robes stopped him. He looked down to see Titania's tiny hands tightly fisted in his robes as she eyed at his mother-in-law suspiciously.

Mentally, he cheered. At least _one_ of his children had sense. How could _anybody_ be happy to see the Macmillans? Clearly, Lucretia had inherited the Black Madness. A tragedy.

The woman tutted impatiently. "Melaina, dear, she's adorable. What's her name again?"

Arcturus' lovely wife smiled. "Titania Cassiopeia Black."

Miranda hummed and snatched Titania out of Arcturus' arms. The infant valiantly tried to hold on to him, but in the end the persistent woman pried her off and held her. A whine left the little girl's throat as she looked longingly back at her father.

Arcturus scowled. His daughter didn't like to be separated from him, and frankly, he didn't like to be separated from her either. She was just so small and delicate, and he could never quite forget the fact that she was almost a stillborn. Only by Mother Magic's blessing did her little lungs draw breath.

Titania was a very low-maintenance baby, easy enough to handle that he would regularly take her with him to his study as he worked. She was silent most of the time and she snoozed quite often, though when she was awake, she never kicked up a fuss. She simply watched him wordlessly. Sometimes, she would just stare into space with a look of focus on her face, lips barely moving, as though she was making up words and talking to someone imaginary. And no matter how curious her behavior was, it never bothered him, so he left her to it.

Miranda bounced the baby and Titania looked on with a sour face all the while. "Titania Cassiopeia Black? That's very… _Black_ , isn't it?"

Arcturus' eyes narrowed slightly. What was she trying to imply?

Cameron put Lucretia down and turned to his wife. He bent down to examine the baby.

Titania examined him back, her grey eyes sharp and studying.

The Macmillan Head drew back and glared at Arcturus. "Titania Cassiopeia? I s that really her name? All a load of Black nonsense. Why do you insist on naming these girls so? Especially Lucretia. She should have had a Macmillan name. Lucretia Andromeda is an ill-suited name for a Macmillan. They both deserve proper Scottish names."

Arcturus' face turned to stone. Cameron Macmillan had gone too far.

"Whether you like it or not, Lord Macmillan, they are Blacks, not Macmillans."

The large man narrowed as he stared Arcturus down. "Oh? Is that so?" He smirked down at him. "Lucretia's inherited more Macmillan Magic from my daughter than she has Black Magic from you, hasn't she? Who's to say that this little one wouldn't as well?"

Arcturus gritted his teeth and his eyes narrowed further. "Titania. Her name is Titania."

Cameron scoffed at him. "Titania? What star is that? Is it even a star? Come to think of it, Lucretia's not a star name either. What's wrong, Black? You run out of stars to name your children after?" He asked mockingly.

Arcturus was just beginning to lose his control on his magic. It roiled threateningly, rising up against Cameron. The Macmillan's own magic rose up to counter it.

The Black Lord was not amused. He could tolerate slights against his own person, if it was for the sake of Melania. But his daughters, on the other hand… If anyone dared to slander them, even his own wife's parents, he would release the wrath of the Black Family Magic upon them.

Nobody disgraced the Black Family. Nobody.

Both of the Family Heads wives hurried over to their husbands' sides, ready to stop whatever upcoming conflict that was about to occur, but before either one of the wizards could cast the first spell, there was a bright blue light and a startled yelp from Cameron.

There, glaring as best as she could from Miranda's arms, was Titania, a finger pointed towards Cameron with a few small tendrils of lighting sparking off the end.

Everybody stared down at the little girl in silence, surprised at the bout of accidental magic that had just occurred.

When no one continued to react, Titania squirmed around until she was facing her father, then she reached her hands out in a clear grabbing motion that was unmistakable.

"Papa."

Arcturus' eyes widened in surprise and Melania squealed in pleasure. "Ohhh, her first word! She just said her first word, Arcturus!"

Arcturus nodded and moved to take his daughter back from a stunned Miranda. Immediately Titania wrapped her arms around his neck and cuddled into him, letting out another quiet "Papa…" as she did so.

Melania turned to her parents and frowned sternly. He placed her hands on her hips and turned to her father.

"Father, how many times do I have to tell you not to antagonize Arcturus! I love him and he's my husband, that fact's not going to change no matter how much you hate it! You crossed the line when you questioned the Black Family customs and Arcturus' decisions, both as a Family Head and as a father!"

Cameron visibly wilted in the face of his daughter's ire. "But Melania, dear-"

Melania was having none of it. She stomped her foot angrily and her father cringed back even further. "No! Apologize immediately, father! Arcturus was polite enough to ignore anything you had to say about him, but even I won't tolerate you questioning our decisions about our daughters! Now apologize, otherwise you won't get dinner!"

Arcturus was suddenly reminded why he fell in love with this witch. Even though she was a sweet Hufflepuff most of the time, she had a spine of steel that couldn't be bent by anyone.

Miranda put a hand on her husband's shoulder. "You did go a little overboard there, dear. You know what they say about Blacks and their prides. I was surprised when the boy let us give him a hard time for Melania's sake, so it's no surprise that he would strike back now. Apologize so that we can go eat dinner. I'm sure that Galby made your favorite apple pie for our visit."

In the corner stood a tiny house elf who preened at the mention of his cooking. He snapped his fingers and disappeared, presumably to prepare the meal for everyone.

At the bribe of his favorite treat, Cameron looked visibly torn. Eventually, after a noticeable struggle, he petulantly glared at Arcturus, who raised an eyebrow.

Slowly he ground out, "I beg your pardon, Lord Black. I crossed the line."

Arcturus eyed him for a tense moment, then nodded, turned and headed to the dining room. The rest followed after him, but Lucretia happily bounded up in front to overtake her father as she rushed to their destination.

As they went, Melania joined her father's side. "You're wrong, you know?"

Cameron looked at her with a start. "Wrong? Me? About what?"

Melania smiled. "You're wrong about Titania. Lucretia may have inherited the Macmillan ability from me, but Titania isn't Macmillan in the slightest."

Miranda piped in, intrigued by the conversation. "Oh? Well, how do you suppose that? Isn't it too early to tell? She isn't even a year old yet."

Melania shook her head. "Her Magic bonded to his, not mine. It barely reacts to mine." She paused for a second, then continued. "For a child's Magic to bond to their father's immediately after birth and not even react to their mother's… they must really take after him, no?"

The Lady Black walked ahead of her parents to rejoin her husband, leaving her parents to ponder that thought.

* * *

Lucretia Black was the happiest person in the world.

She had the bestest Mummy and Daddy ever, and now she had the cutest little sister!

Well, she wasn't happy before. She didn't want a sister. She didn't want to share Mummy with anybody else. Already Daddy took too much of her time away from Lucretia. But Titania always stayed with Daddy, so it was alright. She never tried to take Mummy away from her.

She always liked playing with her baby sister. And that's what Titania was. A baby. Titania was a little baby and Lucretia had to be a big girl and look after her sister, just like Daddy told her.

"Lucretia, honey, we're going to leave to the Avery's, alright?" Mummy bent down and hugged her. Lucretia hugged her back tightly. She wasn't happy that her and Daddy were leaving for a party without her, but they said that they couldn't take her no matter how much she asked.

But oh well. At least she could play with Titania now!

"Ok, Mummy. Come home soon, ok?"

Daddy paused in putting his coat on and eyes her suspiciously. Lucretia smiled at him innocently and hugged his leg.

"What, Lucretia, you're not going to be mad that we're not taking you? That's awfully strange behavior for you."

She looked up at him with an adorable pout on her lips. "Daddy, I'm a big guwl now. I can't cry whenever you and Mummy leave. I have to be wespawspable and look after Titania now."

He chuckled and ruffled her bouncy strawberry-blonde curls. "You mean 'responsible', love."

Lucretia nodded sagely. "Yes. That."

He examined her a moment longer before he sighed and gently pushed her off his leg. "Alright then. If you say you're ready."

He turned to the house elf standing diligently to the side. "Galby. Take care of the children. We'll return in a few hours."

The tiny elf snapped into a salute. "Of course, Masters Black, sirs! Galby will do a fine job in watching the little Black misses!"

Mummy smiled down at it. "Thank you, Galby. We'll be on our way then. Contact us if anything happens."

"Of course, Lady Black, Ma'ams!"

Daddy held his hand out and Mummy took it before they walked into the Floo together. They nodded at her before disappearing in brilliant green flames.

Lucretia grinned at the sight. After briefly waving to Galby, she ran all the way to Titania's room.

There, snoozing in her cradle, was her little baby sister.

Lucretia grinned gleefully and peeked through the bars. Her baby sister was so tiny and chubby! She was curled up in a small ball with a fluffy blanket on top. The only part of her that was visible was her head. Her hair was getting a little long now and fluttered with every breath the baby took.

The eldest daughter of the Black family silently watched her sister sleep before she decided to wake her. She stuck her arm through the bars of the cradle and softly patted her.

It didn't take much to rouse the infant. Slowly, eyelids fluttered open and bleary grey eyes met Lucretia's own mercurial orbs. Titania blinked a few times before her face scrunched up in a tiny yawn.

Lucretia cooed. Her baby sister was the absolute cutest!

She slid her a finger into Titania's hand and smiled when it tightened around the digit.

Softly, making sure that she wouldn't startle the baby, because Mummy said that they didn't like loud noises, she said, "Hello, sister! It's me, big sis Lucretia!"

Titania blinked at her and gurgled out a response. "Lukiiiiii ta ta."

Lucretia grinned brilliantly and nodded. "That's right! Lucretia!" Her brows furrowed a hint. "But you can call me big sis if you want."

Titania's nose scrunched up. "Sissy?"

Lucretia beamed. "That's right! I'm yowe sissy! And yow're my baby sissy." She leaned in close, as if to divulge a secret. "Don't tell Mummy and Daddy, but I think I wuv you the most! Even more than Mummy! Because yow're so cute!" She drew back and puffed out her chest confidently. "And so I'm gonna be the best big sissy there ewa was! I'll pwotect you from evewything, just like Daddy said! My little sis 'Tanya!"

Slowly, the infant's eyes filled with tears and she silently tried to wipe them away.

Lucretia panicked at the sudden turn of events. What happened? Was she too loud like Mummy warned? Was Titania upset? Did she want Daddy again?

Before she could call Galby in her panic, Titania reached out again and grabbed her finger. Her baby sister smiled blindingly bright at her. "Lucy sissy."

Lucretia beamed, all her previous worries forgotten. Of course, her sister was the cutest! There was no one cuter!

She eyed the doorway pensively. She wondered if…

She smiled down at a bemused Titania. "Little sis 'Tanya, do you want to pway wif me?"

Slowly, the infant nodded.

Wasting no time, Lucretia unbolted the side of the cradle so that it fell outwards. She was quite adept in handling the cradle, as it had been hers before she had gotten a brand new big girl bed.

She held her hands out for her little sister to take. "Come, Tanya! Let's go pway!"

The infant eyed her for a long moment before she nodded and wriggled around, twisting her tiny body until it was positioned in such a way that she could easily slide out of the side of the cradle.

Lucretia helped her sister as much as she could, but she couldn't do very much. Titania was _heavy_ , and she was only three, no matter how much of a big girl she was.

Eventually, after much maneuvering, Titania was able to make it safely to the ground.

The two eyed each other in triumph before Lucretia turned on her heel and ran out of the nursery. "Come on, Titania! Let's go to my room!" She ignored her sister's startled cry and continued to make her way over to her bedroom.

Lucretia was _so excited_. She had never played with Titania like this before. Her parents were always here, which was boring. And Titania was always with Daddy when he was here. She never left his side, which meant that she would never see her because he would disappear into his study with her for hours at a time.

But now they could play! They'd have so much fun together! They could play with dolls and try on pretty new dresses and read Beetle the Bard!

She arrived at her room and turned to the doorway, expectantly waiting for her sister to arrive.

After a minute, she got tired of waiting and decided to find her sister herself. She should have known. Babies are always slow. Only big girls are fast. She would need to help her sister be faster otherwise they would never get to playing before their parents got home!

"Titania? Little sis? Where are you?"

She trotted back in the direction of the nursery, looking around in case her sister was lurking somewhere in a corner.

Finally she spotted her sister, and when she saw what Titania was doing, her eyes widened and she squealed in glee.

There, off to the side, was her sister standing on wobbly legs. She was tightly clutching a nearby stand that had a handful of ornate candlesticks resting on the surface. Slowly she turned around and stared Lucretia down with a grumpy look on her face. "Lucy."

"Tanya! You're standing! You're standing!"

Lucretia rushed forward to get a better look, but then the unthinkable happened.

As Lucretia ran forward to stop suddenly at Titania's unsteady side, the rug shifted under the force of Lucretia's sudden halt. That in turn made the stand that was standing on the rug tilt threateningly. Titania swayed with the stand she was heavily leaning on.

Lucretia's eyes widened in panic and she shot a hand out to steady the stand. However, while the stand may have stayed upright, the heavy gold candlestick resting at the edge didn't.

It tilted and toppled as if in slow motion towards Titania's surprised form.

 _THUNK_

Titania blinked very slowly before she brought her hand up to her forehead. It came back stained red. Her eyes filled with realization and she glared mutinously at a spot above her for a split second before turning away.

Lucretia's heart stopped as she watched deep red liquid flow down her sister's forehead into her eyes. Her eyes filled with tears and her lips trembled violently. Her chest tightened painfully in fear.

"Oh no, oh no _oh no oh no- GALBY! HELP_!"

Lucretia rushed forward and pressed her hand into her sister's head, trying to get the red liquid to stop staining her sister's face.

A split second later, their diminutive house-elf appeared before them. "You called, Miss Lucretia, Ma'am?" The moment after he posed the question he took in the situation his two mistresses had gotten themselves into.

Lucretia looked at him with teary, beseeching eyes, hands stained with blood, embracing her sister tightly. Titania, on the other hand, looked confused by the entire situation and had a hand up to her wound in a futile effort to staunch the blood.

"G-Galby, I-I'm so sowwy, I didn't know… Tanya, she's hurt! She has so many bloods! Pwease help her! _Pwease_!"

Galby snapped his fingers and vanished, only to reappear a moment later with a bottle clutched firmly in his hands. He removed Titania's tiny form from Lucretia's hands and carefully poured the Murtlap Essence onto the wound.

Ever so slowly, the skin began to knit together, leaving only a faint scar in the shape of a lightning bolt.

Lucretia sobbed in relief. This was all her fault. If she had never taken Titania out of her crib, if she hadn't left her alone, if she hadn't run, her baby sister wouldn't have gotten hurt. It was all her fault! She stepped forward and hugged her sister tightly, burying her face in Titania's baby fine black locks.

Galby drew back and informed them curtly, "I is going to retrieve Lord and Lady Black, Miss Lucretia, Ma'am. Galby will be back soon."

He snapped his fingers once more and faded into nothingness.

"I'm so sowwy, Tanya! I didn't mean to hurt you! I'm sowwy!"

She felt a small hand patting her own and looked down. Titania had a small smile on her face as she gazed up at Lucretia. "'S ok, Lucy. Fine. I fine."

Lucretia broke into even louder tears. Even though her baby sister was hurt, she said that she was fine! She wasn't even crying! She was supposed to be the big girl here, not Titania!

Before she could respond, Mummy and Daddy arrived in the room alongside Galby with a sharp _crack_.

As soon as Daddy saw Titania's blood-stained form, his face darkened with absolute fury and the pictures around them rattled threateningly. He swooped down and grabbed Titania from Lucretia's trembling arms and looked down at his eldest.

" _What. Happened_?"

Lucretia's knees trembled and a large ball was struck in her throat. Daddy was really mad at her. What should she-

Mummy knelt down next to her and ran her fingers through her curls soothingly. The familiar gesture calmed Lucretia down enough to pay attention to what was happening in front of her.

"It's ok, darling. Just tell Daddy what happened."

Lucretia took a deep breath before everything came spilling out. "I… I'm so sowwy, Daddy! I wanted to pway wif Tanya and so I took her out of her cradle, and we were going to my room, then, then, Tanya was slow so I went to get her and she was standing up wif the table and the mat swipped and the thing fwell and- Daddy, It's all my fault, I'M SO SOWWY! WAAAHHHHHH!"

She burst into tears and sprung herself into her mother's arms. Mummy muttered that it was ok and patted her back.

Daddy angrily turned to Galby. "And you weren't there to prevent this?"

Galby's lip trembled and his ears shuddered. "Noes, Master Black, sirs, Galby was not! Galby was tending to the young Misses dinners, sirs! Galby will punish himself thoroughly, Master Black, sirs!" The house elf picked up the bloodied candlestick that had rolled off to the side in the commotion. "Galby will punish himself with the same candlestick that hurt Miss Titania, Ma'am until Galby getses a scar too!"

Daddy's eyes widened as he turned back to Titania. He wiped as much of the drying blood off of her as he could and examined her. "A scar? She got a scar?"

Galby sobbed pitifully as he wacked himself with the candlestick repeatedly. "Yes, Master Black, sirs, a scar! On her forehead! The Murtlap Essence couldn't remove it, sirs!"

Daddy pushed Titania's sticky hair back and examined her forehead for a scar. But before he could do anything about it, Titania's tiny, insistent hands pushed his away from her. Surprised, he looked down to meet her stern gaze.

"I's fine. Papa. I's fine."

She turned to the self-abusing house elf. "Gabby. Stap. I's fine. Stap."

The house elf miserably ceased his self-punishment and turned to his young mistress. "Miss Black, Ma'am?"

The infant defiantly shook her head and pointed to the candlestick, then to the ground, her meaning clear. "Stap."

The elf reluctantly put the candlestick to the ground, but with one more look at his little mistress' bloody visage, he wailed loudly and disapparated.

Daddy angrily sighed and shook his head before he looked at Titania. She smiled t him and wrapped her tiny hand around his large finger. "Papa."

All the anger melted out of him and he pulled her close to his chest to hug her. He turned with tired eyes to Mummy, who was still hugging Lucretia. The eldest heiress of the Black House was still sniffling miserably in her mother's arms.

"Lucretia, honey, it wasn't your fault Titania got hurt, alright? Accidents happen sometimes. It wasn't your fault."

Lucretia didn't believe her, but she sniffed and nodded. "Ok. Is Tanya going to be ok?"

Daddy nodded. "Yes. She'll be fine. Just…" He sighed and shut his eyes for a moment. "Just don't let Titania out of her crib again, alright? If you want to play with her, just tell us and we'll help you so that accidents like this don't happen again."

Lucretia nodded vigorously. She didn't want anything like this to happen _ever again_. Because of her carelessness, her baby sister had gotten hurt. That was unacceptable. She was the big sister. She couldn't let anything happen to her little sister ever again. It was her duty to protect her, and by the Black name, she would swear to protect her.

She would become the best big sister ever.

And that was a promise.

* * *

 **Aaaannndd that's a wrap! I hope you all enjoyed! Have an epically awesomesauce day and I'll see you all later! Peace out!**


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